On the Homefront
Greetings. It’s hard to believe it's Wednesday already.
Yesterday, I saw Dr. B, and my blood pressure was great at 110/70. He referred me to my husband’s cardiologist, known around town as Dr. C. I should hear something this week, but it’s not urgent. All my blood work results came back normal, which is a good thing.
The husband is at Home Depot getting topsoil for a project. We dug up the daffodil bulbs yesterday, planted them under the redwood and cedar trees, and will spread topsoil, lay down weed barrier cloth, and cover it with rocks to prevent weeds.
Have you ever been dumpster diving?
In the backyard, we have a spot we used to call the Garden of Weeden, where we laid down weed barrier and covered it with river rocks to eliminate weeds. I like to place pots of flowers and vegetables on the rocks, and I'm planning to use my dad's old wheelbarrow for some flowers.
I've decided to keep the Mediterranean spurge that came from my neighbor's yard. It's drought-resistant, has pretty flowers, and thrives in sunny, dry spots—perfect for my garden!
In our side yard, where we used to park our motorhome, we have red seedless grape vines. We used to get a good harvest, but in recent years, bugs have been munching on the grapes. We avoid pesticides and tried organic methods, but nothing worked, so now we just pray for the best.
We've had to rely on one car, as The Beast is having electrical issues and won't hold a battery charge, despite having a new battery. I handle errands in the morning, and my husband goes out in the afternoon, so we’re managing for now. We're still considering whether to repair or let it go. I really like this van. It's great for hauling and for all dirty jobs, like taking the dog to the lake and similar tasks. It runs well and has low mileage for its age, and it's fun to drive.
Gas prices in California have surged, with costs over $5.39 a gallon off the interstate and around $4.89 in town. Prices tend to rise in the summer due to increased demand and the summer blend of gasoline. Predictions suggest they could reach $8 by next year, following the closures of two refineries - one in LA and the other in Benicia. Buying our plug-in hybrid in 2020 was a wise choice; we barely noticed a rise in our electric bill and get 26 free miles daily, which meets our needs. We only fill up every eight weeks, saving us money. The Beast gets around 20 mpg.
This gerbera daisy always pleases me.
It's back to the back room to sort, purge, pack up, and reorganize. Currently, it is an overwhelming task that cannot be completed in one day.
Take Care, and I hope you have a great day.
Debby
Good to hear your results are all good.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms.
We bought gas today here for $3.15 a gallon.
That’s higher than I thought it would be. I was thinking around 2.00 a gallon. Oh well, we’re used to it:
DeleteWonderful news about your B.P. and blood tests!! The flowers will look great in the wheelbarrow. Never been dumpster diving, though.
ReplyDeleteIt was the big thing to do back then. They also used to have Springand Fall cleaning where everyone could put out their junk and people would pick through it: I scored a lot if good stuff back then.
DeleteI'm thankful your bloodwork and appt went well.
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are looking beautiful. The Garden of Weeden is such a cute name!
Car decisions are not easy...
No they’re not and with higher gas prices we may just fix the van if it’s too much.
DeleteSo glad the results were all good. Wow, your gas costs the same as ours up here (or just slightly less).
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
The west coast and Hawaii always has the highest gas prices in the country.
DeleteGood report from the doctor - why are you going to a cardiologist? The flowers are such a brilliant color - so pretty. Never been dumpster diving!
ReplyDeleteIt’s illegal here now. But it used to be very popular on the peninsula in the 80’s/90’s. .
DeleteGreat doctor reports are always the best, Debby. Good for you! And I'm hoping that your governor doesn't even begin he thinks he has a chance to become the nominee for 2028 as a possible presidential run. The rest of this country thinks he's a talker and not a doer. I pray that your state will elect a new governor who truly will represent the people of you state and save California. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOh he thinks we’re all stupid and won’t remember. Unfortunately there are still that 30% that love him.
DeletePraying for yours and your husband's good health.
ReplyDeleteI like that vine. Ours is overgrown and I never know how to prune it.
God bless.
We don't know how to prune either. We just do the best we can
DeleteCongratulations on the great lab results, Debby! Yes, as little girls, my friends and I'd climb up and into the dumpsters in search of old soda bottles we could redeem for coins. Our gas prices are holding steady at $2.58-$2.69/gallon; so thankful now that I'm retired and not having to fill up every Monday morning.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your potting table's transformation!
Those are some reasonable gas prices. High gas prices will also affect the West Coast, as well as Nevada and Arizona.
DeleteGood for the doctor reports! I have never wanted to dumpster dive but someone I worked with a long time ago used to go to college campuses in the Spring and got tons of good stuff! Unbelievable what kids will throw away! I am not above stopping and looking through stuff people put on the curb though! your flowers look lovely!
ReplyDeleteI just wrote about that - I used to go to the Stanford dorm areas after they left to score on some nice items. I've picked up some free curb items here. It's always fun to find something unexpected. Now it's usually outdoor stuff. I'm content with what I have inside the house.
DeleteGood news on the blood pressure and blood work.
ReplyDeleteOhio's gas prices are low compared to CA.
Are those yellow flowers callendula?
I believe they are in the marigold family. They are a perennial.
DeleteYour Dad's wheelbarrow kind of put a lump in my throat. My Daddy always used one for yard work and I had many a ride in it from him. I can still hear myself giggling as we would bump along. (:0)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad your Dr. tests were good. That's the way it should be. My BP is always on the higher side.
Oh the joys of only having 1 car... Its not so bad now that we don't do so much activity but we are just praying our 99 Honda still has a few gasps left in it.
Yes we are known to "dumpster dive" still, on occasion..haha..
Love the Gerbera flowers, I think its one of my favorite "simple" flowers.
Sue
Oh yeah, those wheelbarrel rides were fun as a child. I have two wheelbarrows. One was my dad, and the other one was given to us when our old neighbor died, when we lived in San Mateo. We were always borrowing it. One for the front yard and one for the backyard!
DeleteWith our frequent moves back in the olden days we would go dumpster diving behind stores for good boxes. I was amazed at the stuff the stores would throw out...I remember getting notebooks and school supplies for my kids out a dumpster that were brand new! Yikes, your gas prices are really high again! We are down to $2.89 here at the gas station closest to us. I hope it stays there or lower. Your flowers are so pretty, and that table intrigues me. I love repurposing old furniture, but I haven't done any in a long time. My son was doing that for their store before they sold it, but now he is trying to just get rid of old stuff that he doesn't want to redo. I wish I had the energy to fix it up. I'm afraid my "stripping days" are over. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThere is a significant amount of waste in the world, which has always bothered me. When someone is going to throw something away that can still be used, I will take it.
DeleteHahahaha, your stripping days!
My comment disappeared or you have it not finished. Happy to hear about your good results on your blood pressure and blood work. That table is pretty nice. No, I have never been dumpster diving. Hope you get some grapes this year. So sorry about those battery issues. Yes, the gas does get higher in the summer in CA because they change to a different gasoline. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI never got the comment. I checked my spam folder too. It's lost in the blogosphere, but it will eventually resurface.
DeleteI am pleased you blood work and blood pressure is looking good.
ReplyDeleteNow when I read the bit about dumpster diving my first thought was nope bever nope that but then I remembered when my eldest moved into her first flat it had dirty lino on the floor and I went to a local carpet place and checked the dumpster and found some large pieces of off cuts which I took and laid in the flat before we moved furniture in, so I have done it.
Ah ha! So you have!
DeleteThat was a good idea to visit a carpet store for the large pieces no one wanted.
That gerbera daisy is sooooo pretty. Love the color of it. Your dad's old wheelbarrow, what a treasure that is. I have a new one actually that my brother bought when we moved here, and I never really use it. It's easier for me to just do sections at a time and bag and toss. That looks like a heart-shaped rock in the first picture. So good that you are going through your back room and organizing and giving things away. My sister is doing that right now, and it's not an easy process. What will you use that room for when you're done?
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Glad your tests and blood pressure were good. I Love gerbera daisies. Gas here is $3.29 right now. Yes being an antique owner we have dumpster dived many rimes. Janice
ReplyDelete